5 Stocks to Watch: Week of 1/13/2025

By Jessie Moore, Stock Researcher and Writer

January 10, 2025 1:56 PM UTC

1. Palomar Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: PLMR)

Palomar Holdings is an insurance holding company that provides specialty property insurance to residential and commercial customers. With data suggesting that primary insurers could thrive in 2025, stocks in the insurance niche are worth watching; all the more if they have an excellent Zen Rating as PLMR does.

Zen Rating: B (Buy) — see full analysis >

Recent Price: $105.87 — get current quote >

Max 1-year forecast: $136.00

Why we’re watching:

Analyst support: Currently, PLMR enjoys a Buy consensus among the 6 analysts we track issuing ratings. See the ratings
On the bullish side, Paul Newsome of Piper Sandler (a top 7% analyst) recently maintained a Strong Buy rating on PLMR and raised their price target by 11.8% from $119 to $133.
Hiking their price target on Palomar Holdings in a preview note, Newsome cited Piper Sandler's "reinsurance renewal data that suggests a favorable environment in 2025 for primary insurers. Investors should expect a quiet pre-announcement season from the group, the analyst added.
Palomar’s strength within an already-strong industry is evident by its Zen Rating of B (Buy), meaning the stock falls into the top 20% of the thousands of stocks we track after a rigorous review of 115 different factors proven to drive stock growth.
Playing into PLMR’s above-average grade are several Component Grades, such as a B for Momentum and Sentiment, indicating that this stock shows characteristics of an upward trajectory likely to continue and that factors such as insider buying, analyst activity, and short interest point to positive sentiment overall for the stock. (See all 7 Zen Component Grades here >)

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2. Wix.com Ltd. (NASDAQ: WIX)

Wix is a platform that enables individuals and businesses to quickly create websites and web apps with minimal tech prowess needed. With a robust roster of additional services to support these key offerings, it’s no wonder that Wix has become one of the biggest names in the industry, with over 200 million registered users and counting. Here’s why we’re watching the stock…

Zen Rating: A (Strong Buy) — see full analysis >

Recent Price: $224.49 — get current quote >

Max 1-year forecast: $270.00

Why we’re watching:

Analyst support: Currently, 12 of the analysts we track issue ratings on WIX. It enjoys a Strong Buy consensus, with a max 1-year forecast of $270. See the ratings
Notably, Ronald Josey of Citigroup (a top 3% analyst) recently maintained a Strong Buy rating and increased their price target 3.8% from $260 to $270.
In a 2025 preview covering names in their Internet portfolio that follows "another strong year for the group in 2024," Josey told investors to expect "continued momentum, driven more by fundamentals than multiple expansion."
The analyst noted that Internet fundamentals are better positioned going into 2025 than they were in 2024 and multiples are "still reasonable, in spite of two years of re-rating."
Josey told readers that Citigroup's top picks for 2025 are Wix.com, Godaddy, VeriSign, Trade Desk, and Kaspi.kz.
WIX first came on our radar when Zen Investor Editor-in-Chief Steve Reitmeister named it as his Stock of the Week, declaring it a standout stock with a Zen Rating of A (Strong Buy). At the time, WIX was trading for $175. It’s currently trading in the $220s. Here’s the good news: WIX still has an A (Strong Buy) rating, indicating its potential is not yet tapped out.
Shaping WIX’s exceptional Zen Rating score are standout Component Grades for Momentum, Financials, and Growth. (See all 7 Zen Component Grades here >)

3. Dycom Industries Inc. (NYSE: DY)

Let’s face it, wireless carriers aren’t going anywhere. And they need services from the likes of Dycom Industries, which offers maintenance, construction, and installation services for providers. Think of this as a “pick and shovels” stock for the thriving telecommunications Industry.

Zen Rating: B (Buy) — see full analysis >

Recent Price: $179.00 — get current quote >

Max 1-year forecast: $229.00

Why we’re watching:

Analyst support: Among the 5 analysts we track issuing ratings on DY, all of them rate DY a Strong Buy, making for a resounding Strong Buy consensus. See the ratings
Notably, Sangita Jain of KeyBanc (a top 18% analyst) just maintained a Strong Buy rating on DY.
Looking ahead, the analyst cited three ways the company can sustain top-line growth in the double digits: Private fiber installations, rising BEAD awards, and the rapidly developing theme of extra fiber needs for AI DC (Data Centers).
Jain notes that although it is not yet reflected in the stock's price, the AI DC theme will extend Dycom Industries’ growth runway.
Our Zen Ratings system agrees with analysts: DY is a Buy. It has an overall B (Buy) rating, putting it in a class of market-beating stocks that have historically generated nearly 20% annual returns.
There are no weak areas in the 7 Component Grades that make up the overall score. Standout areas include Sentiment, suggesting that current analyst ratings, short interest, and insider activity indicate good vibes for the stock, and Financials, which indicates DY is a company with a solid balance sheet and strong fundamentals. (See all 7 Zen Component Grades here >)

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4. Skechers USA Inc. (NYSE: SKX)

Shoes, shoes, shoes! Skechers specializes in leisure footwear that is rising in popularity — and the stock price is rising in tandem). SKX shows every sign of impressive long-term growth potential and share price gains.

Zen Rating: B (Buy) — see full analysis >

Recent Price: $69.31 — get current quote >

Max 1-year forecast: $93.00

Why we’re watching:

Analyst support: SKX currently enjoys a Strong Buy consensus among the 9 analysts we track issuing ratings. See the ratings
Among the stock’s fans? John Kernan of TD Cowen, a top 3% analyst. Kernan just maintained a Strong Buy rating and raised their price target 5.7% from $88 to $93
Kernan offered a 2025 preview of names in their Sevices (Softline Retail) portfolio, saying they see a "constructive setup with narratives of momentum and turnaround opportunities." Companies that are "best positioned relative to consensus estimates and investor sentiment," according to the analyst, prominently include SKX.
SKX is a recent Stock of the Week selection — it’s up about 5% since we shared the pick in October, but there’s reason to believe the momentum could continue. (See more recent Stock of the Week picks here)
In addition to the analyst + expert love, SKX enjoys a Zen Rating of B (Buy), meaning that upon a careful review of 115 factors proven to drive growth in stocks, SKX is an above-average selection.
Its Component Grade scorecard, which shapes the overall Zen Rating, is similarly solid, with above-average ratings in several key categories such as Growth, Sentiment, Safety, and Financials. The bottom line? This stock checks a lot of boxes. (See all 7 Zen Component Grades here >)

5. Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ: META)

META is the social media and tech superstar behind Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp — but it’s also advancing technologies like the metaverse. With its robust advertising ecosystem and growing AI-driven innovations, Meta has strong potential this year to enhance user engagement and unlock new revenue streams.

Zen Rating: B (Buy) — see full analysis >

Recent Price: $610.72 — get current quote >

Max 1-year forecast: $811.00

Why we’re watching:

Analyst support: Among the 39 analysts we track issuing ratings on META, the stock enjoys a Strong Buy consensus. See the ratings
It’s gotten several price target increases in the past few weeks. For example, Brent Thill of Jefferies (a top 2% analyst) Jefferies's Brent Thill, who maintains a Strong Buy rating on META, raised their price target 5.9% from $675 to $715 last Monday.
Our Zen Ratings system identifies META as one of the top tech stocks to watch, with an overall B (Buy) rating and a top-10 rank within the overall industry.
Playing into that overall B Rating are several excellent Component Grades. META has a strong grade for Financials, Momentum, and Sentiment — but perhaps most interesting is its above-average AI rating, meaning that our proprietary algorithms have detected signs within market data that indicate META may enjoy superior performance for the foreseeable future. (See all 7 Zen Component Grades here >)